zoothorn

I'm a bit confused about the foam tbh. Told the best way to fix in the frame, is with foam (seems so- damn solid). And the only way to fill the holes, as tight as I can make them, is surely foam too unless I'm mistaken here (but I can't think of a more perfect use for expandi foam than such small channels to fill). So how can you mitigate against mice getting at the foam @ the whole of the frame periphery.. & the pipe/ cable channels? I recall the idea suggested of using metal scoures along with the Mikey- Minnie hole for my sink waste pipe exit.. but that was a mortar job, not foam.

You think 7x 1" pir between wood frames, with brown fluff back on a pB backside.. won't be sufficiently insulated? me 'ole is wxh 20" x 20". Wall thickness 30". Its these pipes/ cables onoff.. they just prevent me coming forward any further than 6x 1" pir's as I need a frame to finish this side. If you look at the myriad of pipes etc its a real nightmare to block up the further fwd I come. So that's 3x 50mm thick pir

I had this very idea sketched out, but PeterW said no need for block.. just wood frame/ 3 or 4x 50mm of pir/ wood frame. A helluva lot easier for me than doing blockwork, especially around these very tricky pipe/ cable interruptions.. even if I do this I -still- would have gaps around pipes & cables to foam-fill, I couldn't mortar these surely esp around copper pipes. Ok What I'll do is get in loft, & pB the frame backside. Later. I can check the brown fluff's spread properly, & set mice bait maybe once up.

Ive got wire wool I bought laods of, for a reason I have absolutely no idea. finally a use!

I could do the bait then, if you didn't find the smell an issue.. tho all others I know who use it have the smell issue. Maybe your bait works differently or your scotch mice have more manners & trot off s'where outside to rip- what do you recommend?

@Onoff your last post didn't show up/ can you redo? Ive put the 6x pir sheet job on hold to see if there is s'thing I can do 1st to prevent mice.

Indeed so. But down the list of things to do- I don't like poison either (they die/ that smell is awful) so rather live trap-em. Then I'll sling'em twds my assh8le n'bours.

Actually the little assh8les I can hear munching my expandifoam gaps in my main room ceiling: three 5 ft x 1" gaps around room edges, next to ceiling beams, that like the wall voids on 1st floor go right up to loft/ so another few cold-into-house places I filled. Weirdly, even this job was to no obvious benefits too!! why? because, so much of an enormous influx of cold is still generated A. up from floor, B. in via thick stone walls, & C. down/ in from the 1st floor wall voids at room peripheries (hopefully your rockwool idea will at least address C).. that small gaps, even feeling cold hitting you in the face from them, once filled have no detectable results. So they do like eating it. Onoff is right. Its infuriating too- but what could I do? I just had to fill these gaps.

Nope. 2 reasons: the wind 99% of time comes from bang opposite direction (moreso cold enters here rather than draught), & the -huge- draught hitting me in the face from the adjacent wall voids (down from roof/ loft) means I can't detect anything comin in me 'ole anyway! Seriously the word 'draught' doesn't fit.. its literally a wind howling down behind my bedroom pB's. Nevertheless.. these reasons don't mean the job is useless. Like adding the kitchen pir, it just had to be attempted even if I find no benefits. One of these days I'll actually get direct results!! Onoff I can't go to the nth degree to mitigate against mice. I'm already up against it with the skills I can just muster up to do this, causing each thing to take 4x what it'd take you (this frame for eg, has taken me 1 whole day's work) let alone 5x what it'd take a pro. But go on what could I do, or what should've done, to get the pipe gaps filled, without using foam, to stop mice-? I can't picture what you mean by pB around pipes. What I could do, if I have the time & could be arsed, is get in loft & pB the backside of the frame.. but still.. I'd need to cut a 'n' shaped cutout for the pipes, & cables. Which has to be filled after. With foam. So I'm in same position as I am now. Unless I'm missing something.

Only doing 2 pics here, start/ finish as I understand Im on a topic detour. Foam demon slain, I pulled up braaan fluff up to frame behind (wedged & foamed in/ v. solid), then pir in the frame.. before my proper 6x 1" pir sheets. gonna be tricky doing frame to finish due to wires front rhs.

Ive never seen asbestos plasterboard, pretty sure its not that hard! its either plywood, some sort of wood pine or something, or old pB that was rock hard back in '85. its good quality whatever it is, shame I couldn't take it off, stuff the rockwool in & put it back on again. I can't take a pic as its just white walls innit.

I'll have to expose it to do the pB & rockwool revamp tho.. was PeterW hinting at actually going with no pB this end you mean? Maybe the reason the studs are set 18" off from this old chimney wall face, is attatching studs directly to it was an issue. I guess I can only find this out once pB ripped off, which -will- happen. Incidentally all the upstairs pB, is very hard/ not characteristic pB feel.. my builders mused if it might be plywood. Is that possible? its all remained dead flat, in this moist atmosphere & seems very dry.

You shall. in good time, I'm still feeding it. PeterW yes indeed so: in bed1 on this end of house/ chimney breast, the pB is set the standard 5" void away from wall down at yr feet.. to a whopping 12 to 18" at ceiling point. If the chimney is radiating some heat, I'm not sure if my pummice-lined chimney would do so, then it'll be dissapearing up this space to heat only Mickey & Co laughing at me from their joist-nest. But if the rockwool 'wad' does its job, once in directly against here, won't I be shutting off this small radiating 'heat source' ?

Nice one- that Sika sounds like the one then. If I can do the height thing top of me ladder (mmm) I think I will foam up the soffit > wall gaps.. I get a huge hit from wind position here end of wee valley, & set up a bit, facing W/ SW that the loft will always have a good thru draught even once these gaps done I'm sure. I can hear the wind howling behind my bed1&2 walls so bad these voids are. Rockwool it will be, next spring. Can't wait.

Crikey that's alot to take on board. Maybe its better to leave loft with the (vast) thru-draught then! No pipes or water tank etc up there mind you. The reason I ask is, for the perfect eg; when I was doing me frame for me 'ole today (with new foam beast) there was a huge draught, not tho coming at me thru me 'ole but rather from the pb > wall void/ 5" gaps. I thought maybe nip it in the bud @ soffits.. but maybe that's a naiive idea.

No I'd understand that. Ok so let me go back a step- what's the word I need here, plasticiser? (reading screwfix reviews of my liiiink ^ its used "instead of fairy liquid".. so I assume a maleable-addition-thingy, not a waterproofing-thingy which is what I need. I think) or mortar waterproofer?

Well I sure am lucky then. I'd not be happy having 4litres of gubbins sent min post, so I'll try see if anything locally. Ideally just a splash from a building site is all I need for my tiny patch not a gallon that'll be 95% wasted. One chap, the TPerkins driver I think, mentioned pva. Is that feasable-?

Blimey thats a long link! try typing that one in. Screwfix & Onoff dunno what I'd have done without.. that should be.

I'm jealous of anyone with a Toolstation they can go into.. tho grateful I have a screwfix/ dunno what I'd have done without tbh. Now, is this the same stuff as your everbuild link I wonder https://www.screwfix.com/p/cementone-cemplas-mortar-plasticiser-dark-brown-5ltr/63831?tc=YA6&ds_kid=92700034796463882&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249407&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1247848&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrem036__3gIVBeJ3Ch01UQDSEAQYASABEgLV0vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yes 6x2 inches. Whilst I'm up me ladder, I do notice many gaps between my upvc soffits (I think its the word) @ gable end, & the uneven wall they're on. Are these worth expandi foaming? or will the cold air just get into loft via roof membrane anyway/ not alotta point.

If I look in screwfix, what's the word to search for, 'plasticiser'. So what's the difference betwwen render, & mortar for bricks etc? do you add this stuff into mortar as a matter of course when building any exterior say block wall? been meaning to ask this Q for ages.

A new foam ghoul has just been unleashed- be afraid.

I'm sure Onoff's lines are from a MPython sketch, ripping yarns or RutlandWkndTv.. I can't quite put my finger on it, sure it was M.Palin tho in yorkshire accent.. Great colliedog pic btw newhome!

A separate Q. Ive a 6x2" area of render, yanked away by Power Co, on my outside wall needs filling (been there for months- only just got a ladfder to reach it). I have readymix mortar.. but I think render has some water-resistant addition: can you advise? thanks all.

I grew up in a cold 1930's house too, C.heating on barely ever, my folks didn't have £alot.. but it ain't a patch on this place. Its pretty warm outside, but inside its just cold. Even with thermals on & fan on half @ me, my legs & feet are cold.. in the extension/ the warmest room! I -had- to buy an old leaky house needing alot of work inc a chimney needing replacing/ taking a big gamble.. as this was the only thing I could afford. Id still rather this than living in a small 1-bed well insulated flat in a cr*p uk town.. even if my legs froze together!!